He issued the statement at a meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Hanoi on January 30.
Voicing his delight at the robust, comprehensive, and substantive growth of bilateral ties in all areas in 2017, Nakane said that Vietnam’s development is important to Japan.
He continued by saying his country is ready to assist Vietnam in its economic development and administrative reform, including the building of high-quality infrastructure and the promotion of negotiations on an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and another on the transfer of prisoners.
The state minister said that Japan advocated the completion of talks on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) so that the deal could be signed in the near future. He appreciated Vietnam’s close cooperation in this work.
Japan will coordinate closely with Vietnam at international and regional forums such as the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) when Vietnam becomes the coordinating country of Japan-ASEAN relations from late 2018, Nakane added.
For his part, Deputy PM Minh expressed satisfaction at the all-round development of the two countries’ extensive strategic partnership, especially the mutual visits and meetings between their leaders in 2017, including a trip by the Japanese Emperor and Empress and two visits by Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.
He reserved high praise for Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) in Vietnam’s socio-economic development, particularly the building of infrastructure, and asked for the continuation of ODA provision.
The host official asked that the two countries continue to promote reciprocal high-ranking visits in 2018, as they mark the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties. They should also bolster cooperation in economy, trade, and investment, with special regard to increasing Japan’s admission of Vietnamese apprentices when the Northeast Asian nation prepares for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
